give me that pitch

you want the pitch

fat

and hard

right down the middle,

of the plate.

you want

to see the stitching

of the seams,

the words

inked on the white

leather.

you want that pitch,

not the curve ball

down and away,

not the inside slider,

and definitely

not the knuckleball,

slow and tumbling

through the air

when you're standing

at the plate.

give me fat and hard,

you want that pitch,

and then

you wait.